The resolution was supported by 91 countries, 57 abstained and 12 opposed.
In particular, the following voted against the document: the Russian Federation, Belarus, Iran, Nicaragua, Niger, Cuba, Eritrea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Sudan and the DPRK.
“Thank you for your support! And what a shame for these dozen!”, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Sergei Kislitsa commented on the vote in X.
Among the 57 countries that abstained are Armenia, Brazil, China, Colombia, Congo, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Tunisia, Tajikistan, Zimbabwe, UAE and others.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga expressed gratitude to all UN member countries that supported the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution “Return of Ukrainian children”, initiated by Ukraine together with 46 co-authors.
“The General Assembly has sent a clear message: the world will not tolerate the forced displacement and deportation of Ukrainian children. It mandates that the UN system help locate, verify and provide access to every abducted Ukrainian child – an important step towards justice and reunification,” the minister wrote.
I am grateful to all UN member states who supported the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution “Return of Ukrainian Children,” initiated by Ukraine together with 46 co-sponsors.
The General Assembly has sent a strong message: the world will not tolerate the forcible… pic.twitter.com/WogC9NdRQ1
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) December 3, 2025
Context
By data According to the Ukrainian National Information Bureau on Prisoners of War, Deportees and Missing Persons, since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has deported or forcibly relocated more than 19 thousand Ukrainian minors.
On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian children's ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
On April 27, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution calling the deportation of Ukrainian children genocide.
The Russian Federation has kidnapped more than 20 thousand Ukrainian children, another 1.5 million may be deported, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets said in October 2024.
